Fancy schmancy windows

Windows are not a fun discussion when it comes to decorating. Why? Because they're complicated, that's why. But they can be fun. See?...

But they can also be highly technological (yawn.) Here's some help in simplifying that boringly daunting process. Your windows will thank you:

WINDOW TREATMENTS 101 -- have a read!

happy (decorating) new year!

Welcome to 2013! Did you make New Year's resolutions this year? Think you'll stick to them? My resolutions tend to center around the many decorating or DIY projects I've been dying to do but inevitably keep postponing (as I learned long ago that drinking less wine, swearing less and working out more aren't viable resolutions to keep).

Want to resolve to improve your interior spaces in 2013? Here are five resolutions to help move you into a more stylish new year:

1. Create a home-organizing area or a creative space for sketches or poetic messages by decorating with chalkboard paint.

2. Take a wall from bland and boring to interesting and inspired by using paint to get the look of wallpaper.

3. Enliven your entry way or overlooked powder bathroom with some playful or eye-grabbing wallpaper. Take a look at these fabulous wallpaper sources for some ideas. Or, take a look at these stores that carry a wide selection of different wallpaper brands.

4. Ignite your creativity by taking on an easy and fun DIY paint project.

5. Bring drab floors back to life with a bold painted floor.

eye candy: new collection from graham & brown

I'm wallpaper obsessed. Nothin' more to it.

Graham & Brown has always been one of my favorite sources for affordable style when it comes to dressing our walls. Here's a look at their newest collection, Odyssey.

You're welcome.

For more "insider" details, click here.

Easy Furniture Makeover: $15 Nightstand!

I moved into a new apartment at the beginning of this month (hence the lack of post updates). As any New Yorker knows, the initial financial shock of moving into a new apartment is numbing. Of course, an interiors addict needs to decorate -- budget or no budget. With little furniture (I was starting almost from scratch) and little budget, it was time for me to get creative.

On my walk home from a client meeting one day, I spotted this sad little nightstand in the window of a thrift store. I walked in to take a closer look and found out they were having a 50 percent-off sale that day. The nightstand was going for a measly $15! Sure, the finish was drabby yellowish-white and the gold gilding was flaking off the sides...but I saw potential in the shape and wanted to give the little gal a shot at a new life.

With a small can of primer, a can of glossy white paint and a bottle of excellent sauvignon blanc (and a couple hours), the sad little thrift store find now gleams as my lovely little nightstand. *Want to refinish a tired piece of your own? Follow these easy DIY furniture refinishing steps and you'll have a "new" addition to your decor in no time.

Want more paint inspiration? Here are my other articles for About.com for October:
Find your color confidence with a new paint-selection tool
How to select the perfect paint color
Decorating with tangerine (Pantone's Color of the Year)

a guide to paint finishes - your new best friend (in decorating)

It's shocking to me how often I'm asked by friends -- and even random strangers encountered in paint stores -- about paint projects. There must be some special sign on my back that I'm not aware of... I don't mind though -- working with paint is easily one of my favorite aspects of decorating. Ever seen a before and after of a room that simply got a new coat of paint? It's incredible what a difference a can or two of color can do to transform a space.

Of all the questions, though, that I encounter regarding paint, perhaps the most commonly baffling one for people is that of paint finishes. Some assume it's just a manner of preference, while some had no idea where was even an option beyond "wet." To assist homeowners with the confusion I recently wrote a guide to paint finishes for About.com. Have a look -- and have all your confusions answered! In the meantime, enjoy these paint inspirations that I'm currently loving...

Want more fantastic reading material? Take a look at any of these articles: 
Fun and Easy DIY Paint Project Ideas
How To: DIY Painted Floors
Paint Color Trends for 2013
DIY Wallpaper Scrap Ideas